Device for opening and closing fruit jars



'March 6, 1928. 1,661,333

' A. R. GURNETT DEVICE FOR ornnme AND CLOSING FRUIT MRS Filed July 23. I926 2 E&'-'

Patented Mar. 6, 1 928.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR REGINALD GUBNETT, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOB 01 ONE- HAIJ' TOHABGABET JEAN-MARIE, F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

DEVICE FOR'OPENING AND CLOSING FRUIT JARS.

Application fil ed July 28, 1926, Serial No. 124,377, and in Canada June 28, 1926.

This invention relates to devices used for tightening and loosening the metal rin s or caps of fruit jars, and the particular 0 ject of the present invention is to devise a con- 6 struction which is adapted to remove practically all t e and sizes of covers at present employs in connection with fruit ars and glasses. a

I attain my. object by constructing my 10 opener substantially as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawin? in which 7 I ig. 1 is a plan view of my mproved opener; g Fig. 2 a section on the line 2-2 in Fig.

1; and L Fig. 3 a side elevation illustrating a further method of use.

In the drawings like numerals of reference 0 indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. i 1 and 2 are gripping members, each 1'0 vided with an integral handle, and w ich are pivotally connected together at one end .25 and so shaped that a substantially perfect circular opening is formed between them,

which opening is of a size adapted to receive the metal ring of an ordinary pint or quart jar. The opening being substantially cir- 0 cular, the ring is gripped evenly at all points of its circumference and therefore the ring is not likely to be deformed. To 'provide the necessary frictional grip, I preferably provide along the inside of the grip ping members teeth 4, which teeth extend substantially all around the opening. i For stiffening urposes I preferably provide the outer edges of the gripping members and handles with an integral flange 5 extending substantially from end to end of the gripping members and at right angles thereto. As there are certain jars made having large size tops, I utilize this flange for the purpose of tightening and loosening these large size tops, and to prevent slipping I rib or otherwise roughen the inner surface 801: the flanges.

I alsoprovide each gripping member with a tongue 6 having upwardly and .inwardly directed portions 6 and 6", the inwardly directed portions 6" being bent longitudinally of the handle at 10 as shown in Fig. 1, which tongues are adapted to rest on the top of the cover or ring to prevent downward slip ing of the device. I however, desire to utilize these tongues for removing another ment when the device is used as shown in Fig; 3.

In order that the device may be used for removing caps such as generally used on bottles containing 'soft drinks and the like, I cut away the one handle at one side so as to form a hook 7 adapted to be engaged under the edge of the cap, and by means or which the cap may be lifted 01f.

From the above description. it will be seen that I have devised a construction which may be used for removing. most of the types of caps or covers now used on fruit jars, glasses and bottles.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a pair of gripping members' pivoted together at one end and shaped to form between them a substantially circular opening, a handle. on each gripping member, and a tongue on each gripping member, the tongues having upwardly and inwardly directedportions, the inwardly of the handle.

' 2. In a device of the character described.

directed portions being bent longitudinally member, and an upwardly and inwardly directed tongue on each gripping member said gripping members being provided with a flange extending substantially from end to end thereof and lying substantially at a' right angle thereto. A

Signed at Toronto, Canada, this 20th day of July, 1926.

g ARTHUR R. GURNETT. 

